Happy Birthday to Her Majesty the Queen of Thailand! August 12th is the birthday of H.M Queen Sirikit and a Thai public holiday. Lucky for golfers, since August 12th falls on a Sunday this year, the holiday is celebrated on Monday the 13th, this giving those who golf in Thailand a chance to get in an extra round of golf as the courses are less busy than normal due to the Thais visiting their families.
This day is also known in Thailand as "Mothers Day" as Queen Sirikit is regarded as the mother of Thailand. Children young and old will also take time this day to pay respect to their mothers, usually presenting them with flowers.
Two Pattaya golf courses, St. Andrews 2000 and Rayong Green Valley, even have Mother’s Day specials whereby mothers get free green fees on this day.
The Hua Hin Golf Festival is also coincidently held during this time of year. Special green fees are available at all Hua Hin golf courses. The Jack Nicklaus designed Springfield Golf Club can be played for only 1000 baht per round. Even the new Black Mountain Golf Club, while not specifically participating in the Hua Hin golf festival, is offering reduced green fees.
The Queen is regarded as mother to all Thai people so her birthday is also celebrated as Mother’s Day. At school the students take part in a special ceremony. The school principal first pays homage to a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen. Then the teachers, representing "all mothers" are presented with flowers. The ceremony ends with singing and traditional Thai dancing.
Queen Sirikit was born in 1932 with the royal title of Mon Rajawongse and Her name "Sirikit", which means "Glory to the Kitiyakara Family", was Given by His Majesty King Prajadhipok (Rama VII ). The queen began her studies at Rajini School and during World War II she transferred to St. Francis Xavier Convent School in Bangkok. At the end of the Second World War, her father was appointed the Thai minister to France and Denmark and then Ambassador to the United Kingdom. She thus accompanied him and continued her education in Europe here she met His Majesty King Bhumibol.
The king and queen were married in 1949 and their majesties have four children.
Apart from being a royal wife and mother, Her Majesty the Queen also dedicates her tireless efforts for the betterment of the Thai people and the entire nation. The Queen spends much time traveling to rural areas to find sources of supplementary income in the off-season or in areas affected by droughts or floods. In order to help poor people in rural areas make both ends meet, The Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques (SUPPORT) was established on July, 21 1976 under Her Majesty’s patronage. The foundation has achieved remarkable success, today thousands of rural folks and their families are benefiting from Her Majesty’s countless efforts and initiatives.
As a tribute to Her Majesty’s boundless contributions for the happiness of the entire population and the prosperity of the nation as a whole, August 12 is now a public holiday and this year so is August 13. We join all loyal and devoted subjects of the kingdom, golfers and non-golfers alike, in wishing Her Majesty the Queen a very happy birthday!
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